Hospice Then. Hospice Now.
Since I microblog on Facebook, it’s been a long time since I wrote anything of substance on this blog. Admittedly, this writing will not be my own, but my mother’s. Mom (Joyce Sawyer) died on February 26, 2016, in her sleep … just as she had always hoped. During her last few months, she was under the capable care of the local hospice team. These people are special, indeed. To see a person at their most vulnerable, with empathy, is something our family does not take for granted. Several years ago, Mom was a hospice volunteer. I suppose she had in the back of her mind that one day she might need the same service she was providing to those in need. You see, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent) at the age of 10, and by the time of her death, had lived a precarious tight rope walk for 72 years. While living in Portland, Oregon, Mom addressed a group hoping to become volunteers with the hospice organization. This was probably written in the early 2000s, before the...